The Maryland House of Delegates Judiciary Committee approved a bill, SB 308, on Thursday which would allow patients who use marijuana to treat medical conditions to use a medical necessity defense in court.

The bill would also create a panel to advise the Legislature on the best practices for creating a medical marijuana program for Maryland in 2012.

The Senate passed the bill by an overwhelming 41-6 vote on March 24, and will need to approve the bill again because of amendments made by the Judiciary Committee. Thursday's committee vote was the biggest obstacle advocates faced in their effort to remove criminal penalties for medical marijuana users.

​Former Mexican President Vicente Fox, said at Thursday news conference in San Diego that prohibiting drugs doesn't work.

"We're talking about the last frontier of prohibition," Fox said. "Tell me something else that is prohibited today? Abortion is permitted. Marriage between same-sex [people] now is permitted ... Smoking cigarettes is permitted; alcohol is permitted."